Take a thousand beautiful acres of woods and trails, five lakes... mix in lots of fresh air and breathtaking scenery... now add some great summer activities like canoeing, swimming, hiking, sports and building campfires. Add in the smiling faces of kids, many of them coming from the heat of the inner city and enjoying the cool shade of a forest canopy – sometimes for the first time in their lives.
And you've got Camp Morty, Westchester County's summer sleepaway camp for boys and girls who live in foster homes or receive assistance from the county's Department of Social Services.
The camp, in the heart of the county's 1,081-acre Sal J. Prezioso Mountain Lakes Park in North Salem, is named in memory of Morton Hyman, who touched the lives of thousands for nearly 20 years as Supervisor of Camping for county parks. It is presented with the support of the Friends of Westchester County Parks.
Camp Morty offers children and teens the opportunity to experience the outdoors and develop valuable life skills through activities and instruction designed just for them. Kids have fun as they learn athletic skills, leadership, cooperation and sportsmanship through games and competitions, get in touch with their creative side with arts and crafts or channel the performer within at the camp talent show.
Counselors help campers to discover the natural world around them and learn what they can do to protect and sustain it. There's also plenty of swimming, canoeing and boating on a tranquil freshwater lake, and lots of hiking on miles of winding trails at the park. At night, kids enjoy movies, campfires, social time, sing-alongs and listening to – and learning to craft their own – tales of adventure.
Nestled in the wilds of northern Westchester County, Camp Morty's campus features yurts, a high-end type of circular tent- cabin, with windows and a door, accommodating both campers and counselors. There's also a dedicated bathhouse with showers and laundry. Three quality nutritious meals a day are served in the newly renovated dining hall, with vegetarian options part of the daily menu. All meals are prepared fresh by professional kitchen staff.
At the end of the summer, when the campers and counselors have all left for home, the mess hall trays are neatly stacked and stowed, the cabins are ship-shape and the leaves begin to fall, Camp Morty's campus and the entire park begin to bustle with activity of day and overnight use by the general public and organized groups. Yurts and cabins are made available for rental in spring and autumn, and there's even a very special cottage that is winterized and can be rented any time of year. Activities include fishing, boat rentals, skating and cross-country skiing in winter, and hiking, most notably the hike to "the overlook" – arguably one of the most spectacular views in all of Westchester. The ropes course is an excellent teambuilding tool for corporations, scouts and other groups.
Photo caption:
Children in the Camp Morty program at the Sal J. Prezioso Mountain Lakes Park in North Salem gave County Executive Astorino a heartfelt camp welcome when he visited them on a warm, late-July afternoon.
Astorino, whose visit took place on Camp Olympics day, led the four teams of competitors in a lively pep rally in the mess hall before they set out for the field portion of their games. At the field, Astorino also officially kicked-off the first relay event.
Camp Morty is a sleepaway camp for underprivileged boys and girls who are receiving services from the county’s Department of Social Services. Astorino visited during sibling week, when brothers and sisters who are separated in the foster care system get together for fun in the outdoors while they learn important life skills like teamwork, environmental awareness and sustainable living.